Negative effect of weight reduction

[Nick]

This is not necessarily a drift question but here goes.

We all know that having a lighter car is beneficial in many ways. Cornering, accelerating, braking, and even fuel consumption.

Some of the easiest ways to reduce weight is to remove the spare and the rear bench and the trunk carpeting.

However would this weight reduction at the rear negatively effect the dynamics of the car? Would it provoke too much over steer? Would the weight balance be even more to the front?

Unfortunately removing weight from the front is not that cheap.
CF bonnet, after market bumper, fenders, battery relocated to the boot, moving the engine, etc.

So is it worth removing weight from the rear?

[Shaiz]

Would've thought that less weight at the back is a good thing for driffting, especially with the CA engine. Would be easier to initiate the drift as you would have to transfer less weight to the front.

[PhilMorrison]

I don't really want to loose any weight in the rear, I'd like to shed a few pounds up front, to get closer to 50/50 :)

[Nick]

Originally posted by Phatty
I don't really want to loose any weight in the rear, I'd like to shed a few pounds up front, to get closer to 50/50 :)

Thats what I am trying to get at.

Is it worth removing the spare tyre and rear bench?

Any suggestions on how to lighten the front?

[frx1]

good explain of suspension:

http://www.sentra.net/tech/garage/suspension.php

[Nick]

So when people race/drift their SXes its best not to reduce weight if you cant remove it from the front??

[Matt_T]

mines had everything from the back stripped out, right down to cutting the wires out of the loom for the wiper I removed. seems fine to me just a little noisy to some people:nod:

[dunc]

Originally posted by Shaiz
Would be easier to initiate the drift as you would have to transfer less weight to the front.

I've always thought that weight at the back helps to pendulum the back end out. Swerve right then left and plant the throttle so there is more weight (therefore force) acting against the tyres forcing them to loose traction and start a drift.

I'm by no means a drifter tho so flame away :D

Dunc.

[Shaiz]

You've got a point but even when using the Scandanavian Flick you need to have some weight transfer to the front. Think if you've got less weight pushing the back wheels to the ground it should be easier to initiate the drift. 50/50 weight distribution would be ideal once you have already lost traction. I've still got my interior but won't have for long so watch this space (as I come back and say it made bugger all difference):p

[dunc]

Originally posted by Shaiz
(as I come back and say it made bugger all difference):p

Very true, when I stripped out my old s13 I was expecting to save loads of weight. Then the realisation of how light the s13 interior stuff actually is kicked in! The flimsy foam rear seat much weight at least a gram or two :rolleyes:

[Nick]

Surely the rear leather seats and spare wheel and all the sound insulation in the trunk weigh a bit?

[dunc]

My old s13 didn't have leather so can't comment (although the previous statement was a bit tongue in cheek), but I'd say the spare wheel is by far the biggest gain in weight loss.

Dunc.

[S12Kelv]

Funnily enough, I've just added a spare wheel into the back of my S12 as the back end was going too often... a better plan would be improve the tyres, but cheaper was to chuck in a wheel..